Repeater strike mechanisms are exceptional timepieces, as regards their large number of components and the care and time required for fabrication and assembly operations. Striking mechanism complications have been known since at least the XVIII century, but have only been the subject of a limited number of publications between 1763 and the middle of the XX century. The reference work well known to the practitioner of complications, in particular grand strikes and repeaters, to which reference will be made to avoid overloading the explanation of the invention, is the work “Les montres compliquées” (Complicated watches) by Francois Lecoultre and edited by Editions Horlogères in Bienne.
EP Patent Application No. 1 429 214 A1 in the name of ROTH & GENTA HAUTE HORLOGERIE discloses a mechanism which prevents activation of the time setting mechanism while a striking mechanism is playing, with a means of locking the time-setting lever connecting said lever to a movable part of the striking mechanism, which can be moved between a rest position and an operating position. This locking means locks the lever as soon as the movable part is moved away from its rest position. This mechanism includes a pipe ratchet, an hour ratchet and a detent ratchet, in addition to a toothed sector, which is intended to mesh with the quarter-rack, arranged to pivot freely and can be driven by a finger. This sector and the rack pinion are released after the striking mechanism has been started.
CH Patent Application No. 689 337 A5 in the name of PATEK PHILIPPE SA discloses a chiming timepiece playing different tunes at each of the quarters, with four quarter-racks and four quarter-cams. The timepiece includes a pipe ratchet, an hour ratchet and a detent ratchet.
EP Patent Application No. 1 879 086 A1 in the name of SEIKO EPSON CORP discloses a striking watch with a drive ratchet, a detent ratchet and a single hour ratchet.
EP Patent Application No. 1 770 453 A1 in the name of CHRISTOPHE CLARET presents a dual striking mechanism, for producing a choice of strikes corresponding to two time zones.
CH Patent No. 633 376 D in the name of DUBOIS & DEPRAZ discloses a repeater watch wherein the mechanism is entirely carried by an independent frame fixed to the movement plate.